TheWashington Nationals are heading back to Washington with a 2-0 NLCS lead over the St. LouisCardinals. The Nationals won Game 2, 3-1, on Saturday afternoon at Busch Stadium behind a dazzling start from Max Scherzer.
Scherzer held St. Louis without a hit for six innings on Saturday, one day afterAnibal Sanchezcarried a no-no into the eighth inning. Paul Goldschmidtbroke up the no-hit bid to lead off the seventh inning. Scherzer allowed just three baserunners (on two walks and Goldschmidt’s single) with 11 strikeouts in seven scoreless innings.
Michael Taylor’stowering solo homer in the third was the game’s only run for a while. The Nationals tacked on two in the eighth whenAdam Eatondoubled homeMatt AdamsandTrea Turner. That double chased St. Louis starter Adam Wainwright, who finished with 7 1/3 innings, seven hits, three earned runs, one walk and 11 strikeouts.
The Cardinals fans in Busch Stadium desperately tried to coax a rally afterPaul DeJong’stwo-out single in the bottom of the eighth and nearly made it happen.Carlos Martinezhit what should’ve been a lineout to dead center, but Taylor badly misjudged it and Martinez ended up on second with a 3-1 score.Dexter Fowlerflew out to end the threat, though.
Patrick CorbingotKolten WongandDaniel Hudsonwould shut the door and the Nats have a 2-0 NLCS lead withStephen Strasburgand Corbin lined up for Games 3 and 4, respectively.
Relive Game 2
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